The Syrian army is fighting with extremist groups near the Abbasid square in eastern Damascus, a Sputnik correspondent reported Tuesday.

DAMASCUS (Sputnik) — The militants of Jabhat Fatah al Sham (formerly known as al-Nusra Front terrorist group) and affiliated militant groups managed to enter and gain a foothold at the territory of an old bus station in the suburbs of Jobar.

At the same time the road which divides the bus station and Abbasid square is still controlled by the government forces.

Earlier in the day, the Syrian government troops repelled several attacks by al-Nusra Front in Jobar municipality. Meanwhile, militants shelled the Barzeh neighborhood northeast of Damascus, a witness told Sputnik.

To date, the Syrian military has regained control of all the facilities in the vicinity of an industrial area north of Jobar, eliminating al-Nusra Front militants.

The military operation against positions controlled by al-Nusra Front began on December 24 after the militants refused to lay down their weapons and vacate the area.